Aged like milk: Five of the worst NFL preseason predictions

The NFL season isn't half over yet, but these preseason predictions already smell like a glass of milk left outside on a hot summer day.

5. Tight end Kyle Pitts, WR Allen Robinson will rock!

PRESEASON PREDICTION: Per Draft Sharks, the Rams' Robinson was projected for 81 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns. Per ESPN, the optimism surrounding Robinson's arrival in Los Angeles revolved around the fact that "we finally get to see him with a top quarterback and offense that has done wonders for other veteran receivers."  

REALITY: Rams QB Matthew Stafford hasn't been close to a "top quarterback," and Robinson looks spent. Through six games, he has 17 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

PRESEASON PREDICTION: ESPN argued that the Falcons' Pitts could make a run "for the top five -- and maybe even higher -- among tight ends this season." Draft Sharks said Pitts was on track for 79 catches for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns.

REALITY: In Atlanta's run-dominated offense with new QB Marcus Mariota, Pitts is mostly a decoy. Through six games, he has 16 catches for 178 yards and one touchdown. 

4. New York Giants will flop

PRESEASON PREDICTION: In fairness to prognosticators, expectations were almost universally low for the Giants, who are coming off several dismal seasons and have a new head coach, Brian Daboll.

"The Giants will struggle again," wrote ESPN's Matt Bowen, a former NFL player.

Bowen was even less optimistic about quarterback Daniel Jones, writing, "The Giants will move on from ... Jones after this season, shifting their focus to the draft prep of [Alabama QB Bryce] Young."

Per Oddschecker's Matt O'Leary, the Giants' early over-under win total for 2022 was 7.5. In O'Leary's assessment of the NFC East, he wrote, "The Giants under 7.5 is the most obvious play in all of this."

REALITY: The Giants are 5-2, one of three teams in the NFC with five wins. Jones is sixth in ESPN's QBR rankings, and he grades in the top half of all QBs, per Pro Football Focus. These Giants might actually be giants.

3. Tampa Bay is really, really good

PRESEASON PREDICTION: Tampa Bay went 13-4 in 2021, and with Tom Brady un-retiring after flirting with leaving the sport, ESPN was bullish on the Buccaneers' chances of repeating their great 2021 regular season -- even as The Ringer attempted to sound the alarm.

 "Brady is still Brady," wrote Erin Dolan in ESPN's overview.
 
REALITY: Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, Brady is the Brady of 2002, when he went 9-7 with New England. The Buccaneers are 3-4 and must go 10-1 over their last 11 games to match last season's record.

2. Colts significantly upgraded at QB, will win AFC South

PRESEASON PREDICTION: A majority of CBS Sports analysts selected Indianapolis to win its division with Matt Ryan taking over at QB for the inconsistent Carson Wentz. 

"[Ryan] is going to try to take care of the ball and go to the right spot, so I think that's going to be a better pairing" than the marriage between the organization and Carson Wentz in 2021, The Athletic wrote.

"Look for a much-improved passing game," wrote ESPN's Stephen Holder. 

REALITY: Last season, Wentz threw seven interceptions in 17 games. This season, Ryan has thrown nine interceptions in seven games and was benched Monday.

1. Aaron Rodgers is still the league's best QB

PRESEASON PREDICTION: NFL.com suggested the Packers' Rodgers would run away with his third consecutive MVP award. 

"No Davante Adams? No problem," wrote NFL.com's Adam Schein. "This only adds to the MVP narrative," he reasoned. "Rodgers is going to take this no-name group of pass catchers and lead them to the best record in the NFC because he's the most talented quarterback ever." 

In the preseason, The Athletic put Rodgers on its top QB tier, No. 1. 

"I can't wait to rate him as a 2 [tier] ... that will be like the favorite day of my career," a defensive coordinator told The Athletic.